Tap water powered massage apparatus with slack membrane

Abstract

An apparatus for discharging a water stream for massaging a user's body characterized by a flexible limp slack membrane, preferably of terry cloth, mounted in front of a discharge orifice. In use, a water stream discharged from the orifice impacts against the rear face of the membrane while the membrane's front face is held against and massages the user's body. The kinetic energy of the stream deforms the limp, slack membrane and transfers through the membrane to provide a pleasing massage effect while minimizing the amount of unwanted splash. The apparatus may also include a continuous and/or pulsed shower outlet for selectively discharging a shower spray.

1 . Apparatus configured for use with a source of tap water for discharging a hydromassage stream for massaging a user's body, said apparatus comprising: 
 a housing defining an open first face;    a water supply passageway extending through said housing from a water supply entrance, adapted for coupling to a tap water source, to a water supply exit;    a hydromassage member defining a hydromassage passageway extending from an entrance orifice to a discharge orifice, said hydromassage member being supported in said housing with said entrance orifice in communication with said water supply exit and with said discharge orifice supported for movement along a travel path and oriented to discharge a hydromassage stream toward said housing open first face;    a membrane formed of limp material and having a front face and a rear face;    means attaching said membrane across said housing open first face with said membrane rear face oriented to be impacted by said hydromassage stream and said membrane front face oriented to engage a user's body;    said membrane being configured to be slack across said open first face for readily transferring the impact of said hydromassage stream against said rear face to said front face for massaging a user's body; and    means for preventing water accumulation against said membrane rear face to thereby avoid distending the entire membrane while allowing said membrane to be locally deformed by said hydromassage stream impacting said membrane rear face.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said membrane is water permeable.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said attaching means releasably secures said membrane to said housing across open first face.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said housing includes a frame portion defining a substantially planar area comprising said open first face; and further including 
 a protuberance projecting from said planar area for engaging a user's body through said membrane.  
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said hydromassage member is supported for rotation to move said discharge orifice along a substantially circular travel path; and 
 means for eccentrically weighting said hydromassage member to create a lateral force on said protuberance to enhance the massaging effect thereof.  
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for avoiding water accumulation against said membrane rear face includes drain openings in said housing  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a flexible supply hose for connecting said water supply entrance to a source of tap water.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said housing is shaped and dimensioned to be accommodated in a user's hand.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  including a reduced cross section orifice located between said water supply exit and said entrance orifice for introducing a high velocity water flow into said entrance orifice.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  including means for supplying water proximate to said entrance orifice for entrainment by said high velocity water flow.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said reduced cross section orifice and said entrance orifice are aligned along a common axis; and wherein 
 said hydromassage member is supported for rotation substantially about said common axis.  
 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said housing includes a frame portion defining a substantially planar area comprising said open first face; and further including 
 a protuberance projecting from said planar area for engaging a user's body through said membrane.  
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further including a weight eccentrically carried by said hydromassage member for enhancing the massaging by said protuberance.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said housing defines an internal cavity and said reduced cross section orifice and said entrance orifice are both open to said cavity; and wherein 
 said reduced cross section orifice is substantially aligned with said entrance orifice for enabling said high velocity supply water flow to entrain water from said cavity proximate to said entrance orifice for flow through said hydromassage member to said discharge orifice.  
 
     
     
         15 . A method of massaging a user's body comprising the steps of: 
 providing a substantially flexible membrane of limp material;    directing a flow of water under pressure through a discharge orifice to discharge a water stream in substantially a first direction;    mounting said membrane proximate to said discharge orifice so as to exhibit slack and orienting said membrane substantially perpendicular to said first direction for enabling said water stream to impact against a rear face of said membrane; and    engaging a front face of said membrane against said user's body to massage said user through said membrane.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  including the further step of moving said water stream substantially perpendicular to said first direction while it is being discharged against said membrane rear face.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including the further step of preventing the accumulation of water against the rear face of said membrane sufficient to distend said membrane.